Masako Fukawa
Masako Fukawa is a third generation Japanese Canadian living in Burnaby, BC. She has a lifelong commitment to education as a teacher/administrator and in retirement as a writer concentrating on Japanese Canadian history. Her writings include resources for teachers and students. Examples of lesson plans from “Internment and Redress” are accessible on Discover Nikkei. Her works on the fishing industry in British Columbia were recognized by the BC historical society and ‘Spirit of the Nikkei Fleet” co-authored with husband Stan, was also awarded the Canada-Japan Literary Award by the Canada Council. Her book for young readers, “Righting Canada’s Wrongs: Japanese Canadian internment” was co-authored with Pam Hickman. In 2013 she was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions in education.
Updated September 2014
Stories from This Author
Nisei 5-pin Bowling Leagues in BC
June 5, 2015 • Masako Fukawa
In a survey conducted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in 2007, 5-pin bowling ranked #4 on a list of Canada’s 50 greatest inventions. The game was invented in 1908 by Thomas F. Ryan of the Toronto Bowling Club in response to customers who complained that the 10-pin game was too strenuous. It was introduced to western Canada in the 1920s and from Winnipeg spread westward. In the 1950s the first Canadian championships were held and its popularity grew. There …
Japanese Diaspora - Cambodia
Nov. 6, 2014 • Masako Fukawa , Stan Fukawa
The Japanese traders who were the first to visit Cambodia were concentrated in Japanese quarters around Phnom Penh and Pinalu. An estimated 1,500 Japanese, mostly merchants, Christians, and some former samurai, lived in the region in the 17th century. Some came to hold fairly important positions such as, for example, guards or royal functionaries. The Christians were ministered by three Japanese Jesuit priests who were born in Japan but were educated and ordained in Macao, considered to be the Rome …
Japanese Diaspora - Vietnam
Sept. 3, 2014 • Masako Fukawa , Stan Fukawa
We love to travel and like most travelers, have a bucket list of places we want to visit before we die. At the top of our list are the UNESCO world heritage sites which, in 2014, number close to one thousand. Our travels have been greatly enriched by learning about and meeting with Nikkei who left their homeland and dispersed throughout the world. The Association of Nikkei and Japanese Abroad, estimate that there are between 2.5 and 3.0 million Nikkei …
